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US citizens willing to forego a few civil liberties in the face of security concerns

Americans, firmly behind their administration's war on terrorism, are ready to give up some civil liberties if it helps catch those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, according to a poll released yesterday.

The poll of 1,215 Americans, published in The Washington Post, showed that nine out of 10 people believed US President George W. Bush was doing a good job -- a figure in line with other surveys conducted since the deadly attacks.

A similar number favored a military response to the attacks and said the US needed to capture or kill Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, who the administration holds responsible for the plot, and dismantle his al Qaeda network.

Some 6,500 people are feared dead in the attacks, when hijackers rammed three planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon .

A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania, probably after passengers overpowered the hijackers.

The survey showed that between 69 percent and 95 percent of respondents favored granting police additional powers to tap telephones or intercept voice mail or e-mail, as well as to hold foreign terrorist suspects indefinitely.

"One sacrifice Americans said they are willing to make is in their civil liberties," the newspaper said.

The Washington Post also said many people favored action that went well beyond the administration's stated goals.

Sixty-one percent believed that the US "absolutely must" overthrow Afghanistan's Taliban government, believed to be harboring bin Laden, and 39 percent wanted the US to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, even if he could not be directly linked to the attacks.

"The responses suggest that Americans have strategically unrealistic hopes and will be disappointed with anything less than full success," the newspaper said.

A poll released on Friday conducted for Time Magazine and the CNN showed that Americans are prepared to wait a month or more for military strikes on Afghanistan.

Four out of every five Americans also believe another attack on US soil is either "very likely" or "somewhat likely" within a year.

The US has massed troops and aircraft carriers within striking distance of Afghanistan and demanded its Taliban rulers avert a US attack by surrendering bin Laden and the leaders of his al Qaeda network.
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